In general, a data storage system includes an array of disk drives, and specialized processing circuitry (e.g., a set of storage processors) which accesses the disk drive array in order to carry out load and store operations on behalf of external host devices. The data storage system typically provides one or more administrative applications which enables a system administrator or technician to set up and control operation of the data storage system.
One conventional administrative application for a data storage system offers the administrator the ability to configure and manage various aspects of the data storage system using a graphical user interface (GUI). This GUI operates as an administrative front-end to particular lower level operations of the data storage system. For instance, using the GUI, the administrator is able to create and monitor the use of logical unit numbers (LUNs), volumes, and Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) groups of disks.
As an example, the administrator may click on a screen portion of the GUI to obtain status of the LUNs currently in use within the data storage system. In response, the GUI sends a signal to lower-level software (e.g., a software stack residing on the operating system on the disk drive array) to obtain information regarding the LUNs including the total number of LUNs, the names and properties (e.g., capacity, available space, etc.) of the LUNs, and the status (e.g., ready, faulted, offline, etc.) of each LUN. Once all of this information is obtained from the lower-level software, the GUI displays this information to the administrator. At this point, the administrator may click on another screen portion of the GUI to obtain information regarding another aspect of the data storage system (e.g., status of the storage processors, etc.).